and sat down. "What's your particular subject?" he
asked.

"The Empire. Colonies. South Africa. Canada. And why? Because I took a
degree in History in Cambridge, and have done surveying on the C.P.R.
Lor'! Finish that drink and have another."

They went together to the station, and got a first to themselves, in
which they were fortunate. They spread their kit about the place,
suborned an official to warn everyone else off, and then Peter and
Langton strolled up and down the platform for half an hour, as the
train was not now to start till seven. Somebody told them there was
a row on up the line, though it was not plain how that would affect
them. Jenks departed on business of his own. A girl lived somewhere
in the neighbourhood.

"How're you getting on now, padre?" asked Langton.

"I'm not getting on," said Peter. "I'm doing my job as best I can, and
I'm seeing all there is to see, but I'm more in a fog than ever. I've got
a hospital at Havre, and I distribute cigarettes and the news of the day.
That's about all. I get on all right with the men socially, and now and
again I meet a keen Nonconformist who wants me to pray with him, or an
Anglican who wants Holy Communion, but not many. When I preach I rebuke
vice, as the Apostle says, but I'm hanged if I really know why."

Langton laughed. "That's a little humorous, padre," he said. "What about
the Ten Commandments?"

Peter thought of Julie. He kicked a stone viciously. "Commandments are no
use," he said--"not out here."

"Nor anywhere," said Langton, "nor ever, I think, too. Why do you suppose
I keep moderately moral? Chiefly because I fear natural consequences and
have a wife and kiddies that I love. Why does Jenks do the opposite?
Because he's more of a fool or less of a coward, and chiefly loves
himself. That's all, and that's all there is in it for most of us."

"You don't fear God at all, then?" demanded Peter.

"Oh that I knew where I might find him!" quoted Langton. "I don't believe
He thundered on Sinai, at any rate."

"Nor spoke in the Sermon on the Mount?"

"Ah, I'm not so sure but it seems to me that He said too much or He
said too little there, Graham. One can't help 'looking on' a woman
occasionally. And in any case it doesn't seem to me that the Sermon is
anything like the Commandments. Brotherly love is behind the first, fear
of a tribal God behind the second. So far as I can see, Christ's creed
was to love and to go on loving and never to de